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Telemakhos saw her long before
any one else did. He was sitting moodily among the suitors thinking
about his brave father, and how he would send them fleeing out of the
house, if he were to come to his own again and be honored as in days
gone by. Thus brooding as he sat among them, he caught sight of
Athena and went straight to the gate, for he was vexed that a
stranger should be kept waiting for admittance. He took her right
hand in his own, and bade her give him her spear. "Welcome," said he,
"to our house, and when you have partaken of food you shall tell us
what you have come for."

He led the way as he spoke, and
Athena followed him. When they were within he took her spear and set
it in the spear - stand against a strong bearing-post along with the
many other spears of his unhappy father, and he conducted her to a
richly decorated seat under which he threw a cloth of damask. There
was a footstool also for her feet, and he set another seat near her
for himself, away from the suitors, that she might not be annoyed
while eating by their noise and insolence, and that he might ask her
more freely about his father.

A maid servant then brought them
water in a beautiful golden ewer and poured it into a silver basin
for them to wash their hands, and she drew a clean table beside them.
An upper servant brought them bread, and offered them many good
things of what there was in the house, the carver fetched them plates
of all manner of meats and set cups of gold by their side, and a
man-servant brought them wine and poured it out for them.

Then the suitors came in and took
their places on the benches and seats. Forthwith men servants poured
water over their hands, maids went round with the bread-baskets,
pages filled the mixing-bowls with wine and water, and they laid
their hands upon the good things that were before them. As soon as
they had had enough to eat and drink they wanted music and dancing,
which are the crowning embellishments of a banquet, so a servant
brought a lyre to Phemios, whom they compelled perforce to sing to
them. As soon as he touched his lyre and began to sing Telemakhos
spoke low to Athena, with his head close to hers that no man might
hear.

Homer. The Odyssey. Rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original. Samuel Butler. Based on public domain edition, revised by Timothy Power and Gregory Nagy. A. C. Fifield, London. 1900 (?).

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